Category: Pop Culture

“Something In The Water” Recap

For those of you who missed out on Something In The Water, check out my review/recap here at TheOriginalChatman.com!

Virginia has already been on the map, but Something in The Water made it official.

“It is beautiful to see that everyone realizes that this was always supposed to be more than a music festival,” shared Pharrell in an interview with The Virginian-Pilot. Now that Something In The Water has came and went–I speak for myself and other VA locals when I say this—we’re ready for next year! Pharrell’s festival creation will be back on the Oceanfront for 2020. Check out the source here.

“If you know, you know.” These prophetic words from Pusha T (one-half of the Virginia Beach rap duo The Clipse) were best said on his recent body of work, Daytona. Virginia natives (such as myself) have long recognized Virginia as a hotbed of musical and cultural relevance before the epic scale of Something In The Water. Hampton Roads is up to its neck in talent. It’s no coincidence Something In The Water (SITW) fell under the same weekend as College Beach Week; nor is it a coincidence Pharrell brought us SITW at the right time.

friday 4/26/19

That Friday was supposed to set the weekend tone; unfortunately,
Mother Nature wasn’t letting anyone be great! Rain and thunderstorms prevented the day from running its course. While several people scrambled to various Oceanfront restaurants to take cover, I found myself hiding inside an arcade off 14th and Atlantic. The sun beamed through clouds a few times; nevertheless, the entire festival was shutdown that day.

In the eyes of some, Friday’s rainy forecast washed away high hopes of the festival being a success. I knew better, and I felt it too. Waking up Saturday morning with my optimism still in tact, day 2 of SITW was going to be different. Those words Pharrell echoed to the press, “more than a festival” were sustained by the various activities and community conversations offered throughout the weekend. Furthermore, the vast amount of food vendors, local and beyond Hampton Roads, was enough to keep me distracted from Friday’s fiasco.

More Than A Music Festival

For example, corporate sponsors Adidas and Timberland brought forth forward-fashion (free customizable tote bags and Adidas slides) mixed with grass-root community efforts that reach a global scale(Timberland presented festival-goers the chance to plant traceable trees that will revitalize Haiti’s ecosystem while also handing out free swag). American Express presented an Hampton Roads-themed/SITW Art-Walk scattered throughout the Oceanfront. Pharrell called on Chad Hugo and several other famous guests to join them for a live taping of OTHERtone, Pharrell’s Beats 1 Apple Music radio show. I firmly believe Pharrell took a page from other festivals, applied his own spin for SITW, and created a wave for the next few years.

saturday 4/27/19

Saturday’s line-up was like THAAAAAAAAT. A$AP Ferg, SZA, Kaytranada, Travis Scott, and Pharrell and Friends.

A visual representation of someone asking me how the Saturday line-up for SITW was on day 2!
Kaytranada

Kaytranada is a name everyone should know. He’s worked with names like Syd, Ty Dolla Sign, and his live DJ sets will get you moving no matter who you are! Unfortunately, not everyone was jamming as hard as they should’ve been. I know the word “vibe” is used a lot but it was nothing but tons of those during his DJ set.

SZA

If you’ve ever followed me on any social media over the past few years, you’re aware of my love for Solana Imani Rowe, better known by her stage name SZA. (For the record, I’ve been a fan since before her 2017 debut album Ctrl). Her signature free-flowing frolic dance and soulful smooth crooning are staples of her artist brand. There was no one/nothing that could stop me from witnessing her beauty and grace up close and personal for the first time. As powerful as that sounds, it’s a half-truth
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . SZA does make very relatable music; however, her music is mainly from a female perspective. (insert photos/videos here)

Imagine how hard it was for someone over 6-feet tryna stay lowkey while singing songs like songs like “Go Gina”, “Say It Like That”, “Drew Barrymore” and “Love Galore”. Willing to risk any stares I received (and I did get some wild ones), I kept my cool even loudly whispering, “That’s my wife! I love you SZA!” After her set ended, I turned around to look for my dispersed friends. On the journey back to them, I met a random kid with a Ctrl 2017 Tour shirt. When asked about his t-shirt, he told me he was proud to wear it and even prouder to call himself a SZA fan. We dapped each other up and then I left. That small interaction with him made me feel less crazy for admiring her as a fan.

Pharrell & Friends

No Pharrell Williams slander will be tolerated as long as I’m alive. DON’T YOU. DO. IT! Who do know you has enough juice to bring out Snoop Dogg, Charlie Wilson, Tyler the Creator, Missy Elliot, Diddy, and Busta Rhymes on the stage.. on the same night!? P warmed up the crowd rapping some notable hits he’s produced/sang on over the years such as “Hot In Hurrr”, “Alright” and “Mr. Me Too.”

Diddy diddy-bopped and hit us with a smooth, crisp dance number shared along with his three sons. Timbaland gave the crowd nostalgic You Got Served vibes doing “Breathe In, Breathe Out” with fellow VA native and (often-forgotten) veteran artist Magoo. Snoop and Charlie chimed in to help Pharrell serenade the crowd with “Beautiful.” The stars were aligned on the beach.

You know that feeling when you reach the highest of highs, and excitement becomes an out-of-body experience? That’s exactly how I felt when JayZ slyly positioned himself next to Pharrell for his verse on “Frontin'”.

Any ounce of cool I *thought* had in that moment was lost when Jay popped up and continued doing hits like “Izzo”, “I Just Wanna Love You” and my personal favorite “PSA(Public Service Announcement)”.

Allow me to reintroduce myself…my name is Hov!

Sunday 4/28/19


  By the time Sunday arrived, my voice, body, and mind were drained from the whylin’ out I put on for Saturday’s line-up. Nevertheless I kept that same energy from Saturday for Sunday. Chris Brown, Teddy Riley and Anderson . Paak were the last few artists I were ready to give my energy to.

In similar fashion to Pharrell and Friends, Teddy Riley snuck in some surprises throughout his set. 🎶 Doooon’t let me goooooo! 🎶I like the way you work it–No Diggity!🎶

Next thing I know, Coko of the ’90s girl group SWV came thru with her silky summertime voice to perform “Weak” and “Right Here (Human Nature Remix).” Somewhere between “No Diggity” and “Don’t Let Me Go”, Teddy transitions his keyboard playing into “Curious” by Midnight Star, the sample behind Lil Duval’s “Livin’ My Best Life.” Lil Duval jump-skip-hops along the stage and everyone goes nuts!

Chris Brown

Light rain came thru and reared its ugly head before Chris’s set causing him to hop on stage 20 minutes later than his 9:10 showtime. To be honest, I’m not even mad he was lip-synching for the most part. He danced so vividly I couldn’t believe the moves I was watching on stage. They were done so smoothly and effortlessly!

Anderson . Paak

Prior to me writing this, one of my friends recently just got hip to Anderson .Paak and I’m sad to inform y’all this person is no longer my friend! 😔

I kid, of course!😜 Without discrediting the legacy of the late soul singer James Brown, I can honestly say Anderson . Paak is the modern day James Brown with a modern approach. When the Chris Brown crowd left, I discretely inched closer towards the stage in an effort to catch the groovy vibe he and his band The Free Nationals gave off to wrap up Sunday night.

Something in the water was…

Overall one of the greatest experiences I’ve been a part of in a while! It’s about time people stop sleeping on Virginia and what we have going on in our hometown. Something is truly in the water, alright.

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“Boomerang” Season 1, Episode 2 Review

Check out the second episode review of #BoomerangonBET here at TheOriginalChatman.com

Boomerang’s second episode, Game Night  is light-hearted and fun, yet two of the main characters are left in their feelings towards the end. Simone (Tetona Jackson) and Bryson (Tequan Richmond) take a break from conquering the world as their friends David (RJ Walker), Crystal (Brittany Inge), Ari (Leland Martin), and Tia (Instagram star Lala Milan) play board games hosted at Bryson’s place. This episode establishes more of their friends character development, motif, etc.

(Speaking of character development,I respect Lena Waithe and BET for representing the black LGBT community. Bryson and David’s friend Ari is gay and it doesn’t seem to throw off their chemistry as friends.)

While most twenty-somethings choose the club as an outlet for fun, Bryson made it a tradition to opt from club-hopping and stay at home with drinks, snacks, and the good energy of some great friends playing board games. Simone and her girls arrive at Bryson’s crib but not before swapping stories about their sex life. The door swoops open and the gentlemen’s faces beam with schoolboy joy. It’s a battle of the sexes. Let the games begin!

Excluding Ari and Tia, this episode establishes the crew’s history of friendship dating back to elementary school. Bryson has always had eyes for Crystal yet remained in the friend zone; meanwhile a shared beer and a couple laughs between David and Crystal reveal that David’s position as an aspiring preacher possibly lead to their falling out as a couple.

While David and Crystal’s relationship seems like a lost cause, he advises Bryson that maybe the timing isn’t right for him to be with Simone, or that they have things to work out before being together. As someone whose been in the friend zone a few times, I feel you bruh! Game Night chronicles a topic our generation spends a lot of time obsessing over: love and what we think love truly is.

Tune in next Tuesday to see what happens with Bryson, Simone, and the rest of the gang next Tuesday at 10.

-TheOriginalChatman

“Boomerang” Season 1, Episode 1 Review

"Being young, black, and gifted is cool but it's exhausting."

Although the millennial generation is often misunderstood thru the eyes of those before us, lately we’ve been made more relatable with hit TV shows such as Atlanta or Insecure. (Shout out to Donald Glover and Issa Rae!) The same thing can be said for  BET’s new series Boomerang—  a continuation of the titular-film-turned series with an updated story.

The series premiere follows the children of Marcus Graham and Jacqueline Boyer—-Simone and Bryson—vying to break from free their parents’ shadows. Their parents built The Graham Agency which is Atlanta’s top-notch ad agency. It’s already established Simone and Bryson are young, black, and successful. What more could they ask for?

There’s a strong connection between the movie and its series successor; however, the level of comedy in this rom-com doesn’t hit right away. Nevertheless, the series does seem promising based off one scene in particular. The business-savvy Marcus has the opportunity to create an ad for a energy drink client. This energy drink is geared towards millennials, and when Marcus sees the opportunity to pitch a different direction for the commercial he takes it–that’s until the pesky yet determined Simone swoops in.

Overall, the show may be geared towards the younger generation but for older fans of the movie, I believe everyone can find something enjoyable in the series. Be sure to check out Boomerang on BET Tuesday nights at 10.

-TheOriginalChatman

Weekly Wrap-Up [July 30th. 6th-Aug. 5th]

Drake drops the video for the song of the summer, “In My Feelings”– meanwhile YG and Big Sean step on the neck of EA, the publisher of “NFL” Madden 19″ for good reason. More at TheOriginalChatman.com!

 

Hol up, wait a minute…. *Meek Mill voice* Can y’all believe it’s really August!?

We’re really in August, which is practically the Sunday of the summer.

Not gonna lie…I stole that joke from the Internet and have no shame in it! Anyways…check out this past week’s trending topics, brought to you by TheOriginalChatman.com.

-TheOriginalChatman

Mon.  7/30

1.  Sony unveils a new trailer for the standalone “Venom” movie.

  • “The World Has Enough Superheroes” flashes thru out the second official trailer of Sony’s standalone Spider-man film, Venom. In this trailer, we see more of what Venom looks like.
  • The film follows journalist Eddie Brock (played by Tom Hardy) uncovering the truth behind an evil scientist releasing alien symbiotes on unsuspecting everyday citizens.
  • Venom looks to be extremely darker compared to previous Spider-man entries. Check out the trailer below!

Wed. 8/1

2. Colin Kaepernick’s name is bleeped out on a song from Madden 19;  YG and Big Sean react to the news; meanwhile EA, the company responsible for Madden games issue an “apology.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl_x5rFHerc/?taken-by=yg

  • Imagine having a person’s name–not a curse word!— bleeped out from a rap song in a video game. Who does that!?
  • This was the case when the Internet caught wind of EA’s slip-up within “Madden NFL 19”.
  • The error occurs halfway thru Big Sean‘s verse on YG‘s song “Big Bank.” Sean raps, “I lead the pack and sh-t/you boys all cap, I’m like Colin Kaepernick.” 
  • EA issued an apology with: “We messed up, and the edit should never have happened. We meant no disrespect, and we apologize to Colin, to YG and Big Sean, to the NFL, to all of their fans and our players for this mistake.” For the full apology, read it here.

[Source: ESPN]

Thurs. 8/2

3. Sanaa Lathan shares the first trailer for her Netflix-assisted film, Nappily Ever After.

  • The upcoming Netflix film Nappily Ever After mirrors the identity crisis of Violet Jones’ need to be in control over every aspect of her life–until one day she breaks down and decides to free herself by shaving her head. 
  • Nappily Ever After is a film adaptation of its literary predecessor by author Trisha R. Thomas starring Sanaa Lathan and others.
  • Lathan took the method acting approach and showed the world her shaved head in an Instagram video from late 2017.

[Source(s): Entertainment Weekly; AJC]

4. Drake finally unleashes the video for “In My Feelings.”

  • The video for the song of the summer (NON-debatable fact) is finally here! It features cameos from Shiggy (the Instagram sensation who started the #InMyFeelings challenge), LaLa Anthony, and the illustrious Phylicia Rashad.
  • No words for the video..just ENJOY it, because I deflee (word to Jess Hilarious) did!

Fri. + Sat. (8/3 and 8/4)

5. A tie worn by Randy Moss becomes the centerpiece of attention from the NFL Hall of Fame ceremony.

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Photo via Sports Illustrated Twitter (@SInow)

  • The Internet has a way of making things blow up or go downhill. Depending on the circumstance, public figures are unfortunately are caught in that crossfire when they trade a regular life for fame and fortune.
  • Over the weekend, former player Randy Moss wore a necktie to the Football Hall of Fame ceremony that represented the names of black men, women, and children who lost their lives to police brutality or while in police custody.
  • Moss explained his choice of neckwear after the ceremony ended on camera with this anecdote:

“What I wanted to be able to express with my tie is to let these families know that they’re not alone. I’m not here, you know, voicing, but by these names on my tie, and a big platform as the Pro Football Hall of Fame—there’s a lot of stuff going on in our country, and I just wanted to let these family members know that they’re not alone.”

[Source: SBNation]

6. Cardi B lists her favorite female MCs via her Twitter.

  • Seeing as nobody really cosigned Cardi when she came up, I’m sure it means a lot to her fellow female emcees that she is co-signing for them!

Suggested Articles:

Weekly Wrap-Up [July 9-July 14th]

Weekly Wrap-Up [July 2nd-July 7th]

Weekly Wrap Up [July 9th- July 14th]

Will Smith does the #InMyFeelings challenge for the culture. Speaking of culture, Cardi B and Offset welcome their baby girl Kulture into the world! Read more on TheOriginalChatman.com!

This week for the Weekly Wrap Up..Will Smith does the #InMyFeelings challenge for the culture. Speaking of culture, Cardi B and Offset welcome their baby girl Kulture into the world! Read more below! -TheOriginalChatman

Mon. 7/9

1. Winston Duke to star in a biopic detailing the life of deceased MMA fighter Kimbo Slice.

  • After playing M’Baku in two Marvel titles (Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War), actor Winston Duke continues his way to stardom by taking on a most daring role as the late fighter Kimbo Slice.
  • For those of you unfamiliar, Kimbo Slice (real name Kevin Ferguson) faced homelessness and transformed as a YouTube fighting sensation to professional MMA fighter. Slice died June 2016 of congestive heart failure.
  • No word on co-stars, director, or release date but the biopic is slated to be called Backyard Legend. Congrats to Duke on his new role!

[Source: HighSnobiety]

Tues. 7/10

2. Cardi B became a meme with an old childhood photo she posted to her Instagram!

  • If y’all ain’t know by now…the Internet has zero chill and is quick to turn ANYbody into a meme. This was the case with an old photo of five-year-old Cardi B. Here’s a sample of the latest Cardi memes that have been floating around:

Wed. 7/11

CardiB_Maternity_Photo
“K U L T U R E 7/10/18 K I A R I  C E P H U S” (Photo and caption via Offset’s Instagram @OffsetYrn)

3. Cardi B and Offset welcome Kulture, their new baby girl, into the world!

  • This past Tuesday, Cardi B and Offset welcomed their baby girl Kulture Kiari Cephus into the world! Kulture gets her name from Offset’s real name Kiari Cephus, meanwhile the child’s name pays homage to the Migos previous albums, Culture and Culture II.

Thurs. 7/12

4. Will Smith does the #InMyFeelings challenge.

  • You do what when you’re poppin’. CORRECTION: You can do what you want when you’re one of the world’s biggest movie stars— aka Will Smith!

 

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This a screenshot of Will Smith doing the viral #InMyFeelings / #DoTheShiggy challenge, started by Instagram sensation, @TheShiggyShow (Shiggy). Photo from Instagram (@willsmith).

  • The #InMyFeelingsChallenge was originally started by Instagram sensation TheShiggyShow, who goes by Shiggy for short. Since it began late June, other celebs such as Kevin Hart, Ciara, and Russell Wilson have taken a stab at the viral dance.
  • Apparently the Internet thinks Will Smith “won” the challenge as the actor took his attempt to new heights— literally! Smith danced on top of a bridge in Budapest. Despite stiff dance moves, one cannot help but admire the effort Will put into the challenge. Check out Will’s daredevil-ish attempt and let me know what you think.

Fri. 7/13

5. Mac Miller announces new album, SWIMMING.

  • 2018 hasn’t been great for Pittsburgh emcee Mac Miller. He was slapped with a DUI back in May of this year, and even split up with his former pop star girlfriend Ariana Grande. 
  • However, Mac’s looking to make a comeback with his new album, Swimming. As mysterious as the project material and title may be, a 30-second promo trailer for the album provided “some” context.
  • Mac took it a step further by even announcing his tracklist. Swimming marks Mac’s first album since  September 2016’s The Divine Feminine (which was a great birthday gift to myself back then, thanks Mac!).

1. “Come Back to Earth”
2. “Hurt Feelings”
3. “What’s The Use?”
4. “Perfecto”
5. “Self Care”
6. “Wings”
7. “Ladders”
8. “Small Worlds”
9. “Conversation Pt. 1”
10. “Dunno”
11. “Jet Fuel”
12. “2009”
13. “So It Goes”

[Source(s): Pigs & Planes, Complex, HipHopDX]

Sat. 7/14

6. Ari Lennox announces new single, “Whipped Cream.”

  • Despite multiple shows, tours, and festivals going on within the J.Cole-helmed Dreamville camp,  one label mate has remained quiet for quite a while now: Ari Lennox.
  • The first lady of Dreamville informed fans via her Instagram and Twitter that her new single, “Whipped Cream” drops Monday, July 16th.
  • The single’s promo was simple yet suggestive enough to have listeners craving for more. Check out Ari’s tweet for her new single, and hit up the comment section for your thoughts.

 

Weekly Wrap-Up [July 2nd-July 7th]

Mon. 7/2

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Simple and straight to the point, Lebron James’ sports agency, Klutch Sports Group, made a quiet announcement with a press release announcing that he’ll play with the Lakers.

1. Lebron James signs a four-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers!

  • King James f.k.a. Lebron James is taking his talents to the Lakers, and did so in the quietest fashion ever..with a press release and practically no press conference this time!

Tues. 7/3

2.  The official remix to Ella Mai’s “Boo’d Up” features guest verses from Nicki Minaj and Quavo.

  • Apparently the Internet hates it, and some people hated it before even hearing it. Me personally…I’m with the Internetz…issa no for me dawg!
  • Listen to the official remix here.

Wed. 7/4

3. 2 Chainz’s Twitter account was hacked..and man was it ugly!

  • 2 Chainz made a video responding to the hacker and he seemed pretty chill about it. Kudos to him!

View this post on Instagram

Ducks

A post shared by 2 Chainz Aka Tity Boi (@2chainz) on

[Source: BET]

Thurs. 7/5

4. Chance the Rapper is newly engaged!

  • Earlier this week, Chance the Rapper celebrated the the fourth of July and freaked it (*Kendrick Lamar “King’s Dead” ad-lib).
  • On the day most people in the United States seem to hate the most, Chance made sure to make the holiday a memorable one: by proposing to his long-time girlfriend and baby’s mother, Kirsten Corley.
  • Surrounded by loved ones at a barbecue, Chance alluded to the proposal with this tweet:

Here’s video footage of the proposal, in which Chance asked, “Will you make me a man and be my wife?”

  • A “fan”  disapproved of Chance’s proposal and Chano wasn’t having it. Chance exchanged tweets and even went as far as to personally DM this Twitter user. What do y’all think? Be sure to sound off in the comments below!

Fri. 7/6

5. Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande drop the video for their duet, “Bed.”

  • So prior to making this post, I spent roughly 5 minutes watching the video for Nicki Minaj‘s latest duet with Ariana Grande. The video was bleh, and the video seemed very lackluster for a song that’s supposed to give a sexy summer-time vibe.
  • Nicki spends her time rolling around in the ocean as a mermaid, and towards the end magically transforms back into her human form to be on time for a date with Odell Beckham, Jr. from the New York Giants. Whoopee!
  • “If the Barbz and Arianators (fan bases for Nicki and Ariana, respectively) come for my neck, and I don’t come back from war..mark these as my last words…”

Sat. 7/7

6. Drake’s Scorpion album becomes the first project ever to hit one billion streams in a week across all platforms!

drake-scorpion
“Scorpion” broke records with one billion streams globally! Photo via Drake’s Instagram (@champagnepapi).

  • Champagne Papi. The 6 God. Drizzy. Whatever you may call him..Drake seemingly continues to shatter records with almost every album he drops!
  • According to Billboard, The superstar rapper’s newest effort became the first album to reach one BILLION global streams across all digital platforms.
  • Prior to Scorpion tearing up global streaming records, Post Malone‘s beerbongs & bentleys held the global record with  under 700 million streams.
  • Congrats due to Drake! Let’s all help him celebrate by doing the #InMyFeelings / #DoTheShiggy challenge.

[Source(s): Billboard]

 

Weekly Update [06/25/18 – 06/30/18]

Check out all your entertainment needs from the Weekly Wrap-Up on TheOriginalChatman.com!

Mon. 6/25

1. A week after XXXtentacion was murdered, his hit song “SAD!” became the number one song in America.

XXXTentacion

  • XXXtentacion was a troubled kid yet his music lives on—literally. The troubled MC whose no longer with us created music that still touches fans from beyond the grave.
  • “SAD!” charted its way to the Billboard Hot 100, making it X’s first #1 hit.
  • According to Rolling Stone, this is the first time a rapper had a No. 1 song since Biggie’s “Mo Money, Mo Problems” back in 1997.

[Source: Rolling Stone]

Tues. 6/26

2. Cardi B and Offset secretly got married…and TMZ got the proof of their wedding certificate to prove it!

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TMZ spilled the beans on Cardi B and Offset’s secret wedding! Photo Credit: TMZ

 

  • Here’s a snippet of the actual marriage certificate, which shows that they’ve been married since September 20th of last year. Check the full document here.
  • That gosh darn TMZ..maaaan, they be on it for real!
  • Apparently, they joined each other’s hand in marriage MONTHS ago…..OKURRRR  (Cardi B voice)!
  • On Sunday, June 24th, the Migos accepted the BET Award for Best Group in which Offset said, “I thank my wife, you should thank yours.” (To be honest…I was too busy being upset that A Tribe Called Quest didn’t win to pay attention to what Offset was actually saying!)
  • Congrats to the happy couple, especially since they’re expecting their first child together sometime later this month!

Wed. 6/27

3. Kendrick Lamar landed on the cover of Vanity Fair!

  • It seems like everyday Kendrick Lamar is reaching not only new heights as a top-tier hip-hop artist, but also as a person aware of his responsibility to himself and his community.
  • Fresh off winning the coveted Pulitzer Prize, Vanity Fair just snagged an interview with Kung-Fu Kenny in which is discusses Kanye West, Colin Kaepernick, and more.
  • I haven’t read the interview yet myself; however, I’m sure there’s gems in it. I’ll be back in a few days to give my opinion on his Vanity Fair cover story. In the meantime, check out the cover below!

Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is the new cover star of the latest issue of Vanity Fair. Photo was taken by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair.

 

Thurs. 6/29

4. Drake dropped his latest effort “Scorpion.” Memes and IG captions are here all summer 2018!

  • Side A is rap, while side B is strictly R&B vibes. Which side is your favorite or are yall not feeling the album overall?

Fri. 6/29

5. Chance the Rapper speaks on upcoming joint projects with Kanye West and Childish Gambino.

Sat. 6/30

6. Paul George and Russell Westbrook of the OKC Thunder were seen hanging out with Nas as he performed new music from his latest album, Nasir.

TheOriginalChatman’s review of “Superfly”

TheOriginalChatman brings forth a review of the 2018 reboot of the ’70s crime-drama “Superfly.” Read here.

Trevor Jackson breathes new life into a character from a previous era of blaxploitation films. Check out TheOriginalChatman™’s SPOILER-FREE review below.

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Photo via Twitter (@SuperflyMovie)

In the film’s reboot of Superfly, Trevor Jackson (Burning Sands, Grown-ish)  plays Youngblood Priest, a long-time drug dealer desperately looking to get out the life and bring his loved ones with him. In the film’s opening scene, his demeanor is calm, smooth, and calculated. His attitude turns up a notch when he calmly threatens a colleague for money he owes Priest.

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The rest of the film follows Priest and his best friend/partner Eddie (Straight Outta Compton‘s Jason Mitchell) as they attempt to make a clean get-away from their lavish life of hustling—if only it were that easy. They run into jealous rivals wanting to wipe them off the map, dirty cops, and more.

Without the original film’s gritty look and feel (side note: I’ve never experienced the first film, so I’m just making assumptions here!), the glitz and glamour immediately attracts audiences. Furthermore, not much different from superhero films, Superfly offers fantastic hand-to-hand fight sequences mixed with the typical gunfight here and there.

In my opinion, Priest is a good person wishing to turn his life around despite his life’s circumstances. The ultimate connection I’m trying to make here is that Priest illustrates the narrative of a urban legend/anti-hero climbing his way to the top and refusing to be a product of his environment—something much more realistic than heroes and villains battling it out. How much realer can it get than that?

Additionally, crime-dramas typically reach a point of vulnerability when characters express thoughts and feelings reflecting real life dilemmas. At one point in the movie, a scene highlights the societal effects of police brutality in its rawest form, which allows for a true depiction the other characters put on full display.

With the exception of a few predictable plot lines, Director X’s modern take on Superfly is the blockbuster event of the summer you don’t wanna miss! Hit up the comment section and give me your feedback on the film!

Weekly Wrap-Up [2/18/18 – 2/24/18]

Weekly Wrap-Up of your favorite trending topics the week of February 18th-24th. TheOriginalChatman.com.

SPOILER ALERT: Most of these trending topics are about “Black Panther”!

Happy Sunday everybody! Who’s seen Black Panther? Better yet..the question I SHOULD be asking is who H A S N ‘ T seen Black Panther yet? Man ohhh man—this film is making a killing in the box office. I hope it does so for the rest of the year tbh. This entire wrap-up contains news about the movie, no spoilers or anything, so please enjoy what you see! #WakandaForever 

Sun. 2/18

1. Sylvester Stallone releases the movie poster for “Creed 2.”

  • Sylvester Stallone took to his Instagram (@officialslystone) to share a fan-made poster for the upcoming sequel to Creed, Creed 2.
  • If you may recall, the original film follows the footsteps of Adonis Creed, the son of deceased boxer Apollo Creed— played by Michael B. Jordan. Check out the poster below!
  • According to IMDB, Adonis Creed will face Viktor Drago, the son of Rocky Balboa’s old nemesis, Ivan Drago.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfTuSRtjyt6/?taken-by=officialslystallone

[Source: Complex, IMDB]

Mon. 2/19

2. Lupita Nyong’o honors her Black Panther co-stars Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan by imitating their latest magazine cover photo shoots.

  • As Black Panther‘s box office success continues to break records, the one thing also growing with time is the bond between the film’s cast members.
  • Lupita Nyong’o paid homage to her Black Panther co-stars Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman as she re-created Michael’s GQ photo shoot and Chadwick’s photo shoot for Rolling Stone. 
  • Sidenote: Lupita….if you’re single, please don’t afraid to slide in my DMs on (@thechatmanjay/ @theoriginalchatman) Instagram. I promise I don’t bite!♥

Photo Credit: Vernon Francois (@vernonfrancois)

[Source: Twitter]

Tues. 2/20

3. Will Smith congratulates the cast of Black Panther in a celebratory Instagram video.

  • A co-sign from Will Smith must mean you out here killing the game!
  • Earlier this week, he took to Instagram to name drop and congratulate the entire cast of Black Panther—as the film deserves endless amounts of praise according to Smith.
  • Smith claims he was “damn near got brought to tears.” He adds on, “I’m proud and I’m excited, damn near giddy.” Feel free to check out Will Smith’s full-length heartfelt expression to the Black Panther cast below.

View this post on Instagram

I want to share something that Nelson Mandela said to me. . He said, “With the type of fame that you have attained it is important when you encounter your fans that you — Reach Your Hand Out and let them Feel Your Flesh. You have to prove to them that you are REAL — because people can not aspire to anything they do not believe is Real.” . So I say to you, Congratulations! Enjoy this Transcendent Moment. Go into the streets… Touch them… Let them know that you are real! . @chadwickboseman, @michaelbjordan @lupitanyongo @letitiawright @danaigurira @danielkaluuya @im.angelabassett @andyserkis @winstoncduke @sterlingkbrown @rmorrison @therealstanlee @ludwiggoransson @iamruthecarter #blackpanther . With Pure Delight WILL 🙂

A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith) on

 

 

[Source: People, Instagram (@willsmith)]

5. Ryan Coogler writes letter to fans of Black Panther.

Ryan Coogler
Black Panther director, Ryan Coogler. Photo Credit to Jerod Harris/Getty Images.

  • As I mentioned earlier, a huuuuuge majority of this wrap-up is related to Black Panther. If you’ve made it this far without growing tired of me rambling on about the movie, I owe you big time!
  • Long story short, the brilliant director behind the movie, Ryan Coogler, penned an emotional letter to Black Panther fans and it just made every other negative thing in the world temporarily not matter. While the letter is a tad lengthy, Coogler basically expressed his gratitude while also admitting he didn’t expect the film to perform so well. The lesson here boys and girl is to NEVER underestimate yourself!

Here is the full letter from Coogler himself, posted from Marvel’s Instagram (@marvel):

I am struggling to find the words to express my gratitude at this moment, but I will try.

Filmmaking is a team sport. And our team was made up [of] amazing people from all over the world who believed in this story. Deep down we all hoped that people would come to see a film about a fictional country on the continent of Africa, made up of a cast of people of African descent.

Never in a million years did we imagine that you all would come out this strong. It still humbles me to think that people care enough to spend their money and time watching our film- But to see people of all backgrounds wearing clothing that celebrates their heritage, taking pictures next to our posters with their friends and family, and sometimes dancing in the lobbies of theaters– often moved me and my wife to tears.

For the people who bought out theaters, who posted on social about how lit the film would be, bragged about our awesome cast, picked out outfits to wear, and who stood in line in theaters all over the world– all before seeing the film…

To the press who wrote about the film for folks who hadn’t yet seen it, and encouraged audiences to come out…

And to the young ones, who came out with their parents, with their mentors, and with their friends…

Thank you for giving our team of filmmakers the greatest gift: The opportunity to share this film, that we poured our hearts and souls into, with you.

Sincerely,

Ryan Coogler

P.S. Wakanda Forever 

[Source: Instagram (@marvel)]

 

 

Thurs. 2/22

6. Chris Tucker confirms a fourth installment of Rush Hour in the making?!

  • I’m here for it! 

[Source: Moviefone]

Fri.Sat. (2/23 and 2/24)

kanye-west-kim-kardashian-valentines-day-2018
Photo Credit to Getty Images

7. According to multiple sources, mainly Snapchat, Kim Khardashian and Kanye West will appear on an episode of Celebrity Family Feud.

  • On Saturday, Kimye showed us a behind-the-scenes look of the iconic couple slated to appear on an episode of Celebrity Family Feud.
  • So much for that Jay quote, “Nobody wins when the family feuds…”!

[Source: XXL]

Thanks for keeping up with me and my weekly wrap-ups!

-TheOriginalChatman™

Marvel’s “Black Panther” (spoiler free) review! #WakandaForever

Check out TheOriginalChatman’s spoiler-free review of “Black Panther.”

 Check out TheOriginalChatman’s ™S P O I L E R. FREE. review below! 

As I left the theater earlier this evening, I heard the final words from some guy echo  behind me that Black Panther was “not too much” and “not too less.” Furthermore, he shared with his friend that the movie itself was “just right.” I’d be hard pressed to disagree.

Black Panther follows the events after the death of T’Chaka, leader to fictional African nation Wakanda. Wakanda disguises itself as a poor third-world country; however, within its secretive holographic barriers is a country more technologically advanced than the outside world. The country’s main resource, vibranium, is a metal that absorbs any kinetic energy vibrations into it. T’Challa, T’Chaka’s only son, follows lineage as the new Black Panther and new king to Wakanda, vowing to protect its land and people from outside sources.

blackpanthermain__1_.0 (1)

Photo Credit Marvel Studios

Within minutes of the film’s opening, you’ll notice that Wakanda is visually stunning to experience on the screen. It’s such a beautiful setting you’ll forget it doesn’t actually exist. Furthermore, Marvel and director Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed) bring a whole new light surrounding Africa. Hollywood typically has a tradition of undermining the overall cultural aesthetic of Africa, hugely ignoring its customs and other cultural elements. From the wardrobe the actors wear to traditional dances and rituals resembling real African traditions, Coogler pays homage to a place often overlooked by others. 

Aside from the visuals I gotta be honest and say….every. single. actor. DELIVERS! Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan‘s respective roles as T’Challa and Killmonger have ambitious motives. On one hand, T’Challa balances his duties as king as he deals with his own personal demons. On the other, Killmonger is quite possibly the first Marvel villain we feel sympathy for.

Let’s not forget the ladies also. Danai Gurira and Lupita Nyong’o characters Oloye and Nakia are so badass that they damn near steal the show as members of T’Challa’s all-women security force, the Dora Milaje. Meanwhile Letitia Wright represents as Shuri, the tech-saavy teenage sister of T’Challa. These characters tell an important narrative, especially in the superhero genre. Black Panther provides an opportunity for the female cast members to shine outside of basic supporting roles or love interests.

MV5BNDg3MTY3ODMzMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODgwMDk1NDM_._V1_SX1777_CR0_0_1777_937_AL_.0

Photo Credit: Marvel Studios

Finally, there’s two points that briefly need to addressed.

  1. Black children can feel powerful, positive reinforcement when they are properly represented on the big screen. Ryan Coogler and Marvel do an amazing job of accomplishing this feat with this movie.
  2. On the surface, Black Panther is a superhero film. Yet it also serves as a strategically-placed reminder—which isn’t too politicized, so no worries! —  of the sociopolitical problems underprivileged black people continue to face in the world today.

Thanks for reading TheOriginalChatman’s™ review of Black Panther! Feel free to drop a comment or two below. Don’t forget that it’s #WakandaForever. Until next time!

 

 

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